Renault to build Fluence-based EV in China as part of joint venture

Renault has partnered with Dongfeng to produce a Chinese-built electric vehicle that will will go on sale there in 2017

Advertisement

Renault along with Dongfeng will launch a fresh electric vehicle in China in 2017.

In a joint statement, the Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company (DRAC) said the idea planned to introduce an electric vehicle based on the Fluence ZE in 2017. The fresh vehicle will be badged under a fresh sub-brand via Dongfeng along with won’t be available outside China.

The launch of the fresh EV will be understood to form part of DRAC’s long-term plan to introduce a 5-car line-up inside the country to capitalise on the growing appetite for home-grown cars. The plan, which was revealed in detail in June, calls for the range to include two SUVs, two saloons along with one electric vehicle. The total project will be reported to be worth $1.28 billion.

via its Wuhan-based plant, DRAC wants to have an initial output of around 150,000 cars annually – rising to 0,000 vehicles per year by the end of the decade.

DRAC boss Jacques Daniel said the fresh agreement was “part of the will of both the Renault Group along with the Dongfeng Group to propose mobility solutions for sustainable development”. However, the venture also forms part of a larger push within China to produce more EVs.

At the Global Automotive Forum earlier This particular year, Chinese officials said the official target was to reach one million EVs inside the country by 2025. Currently, that will number stands at just 83,000.

The target has already been scaled back once via the original plan to have 500,000 fresh-energy vehicles on China’s roads by the end of 2015.